


Day 104

by Josh_the_Bard



Series: A Year in Kirkwall [104]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:49:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23641876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Josh_the_Bard/pseuds/Josh_the_Bard
Series: A Year in Kirkwall [104]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589257





	Day 104

Aveline led today’s sweep of the Bone Pit with Hawke and company. Melindra, Donnic and the templars had searched the area all day yesterday yet had found nothing. That was not really surprising as the base mine was impossibly vast, even if you didn’t count the natural tunnels that connected to the mine. Normally Aveline would have let the templars handle the investigation themselves but Hawke took anything involving the Bone Pit as his personal responsibility, and that man had a habit of getting himself into trouble he couldn’t get out of.

While Aveline would never have abandoned her friends, a part of her was annoyed at being in a dark hole that smelled of stale sweat when there was so much work to be doing 

“You know,” Anders muttered. “It was irresponsible to bring the templars down here. Some of the mage underground escape routes run through here. Some innocent mages might be caught up in-”

“Really?” Avewline demanded rounding on the mage. “This is your concern right now. Blood mages are abducting people and your concern is apostates who might be hiding out with them?”

“Your willingness to work with the templars is going to have dier repercussions for this city,” Anders retorted.

“Without the templars this city would already have fallen onto anarchy,” Aveline snarled. She wouldn’t have admitted that to anyone else, but Anders had a way of polarising people.

“Maybe it would be better off that way.”

“Once we find the blood mages and rescue Jansen we can get drunk and shout at each other in the Hanged Man,” Varric siad.

“We only have one miner’s word that there even are blood mages here,” Anders grumbled.

“Quiet, all you you,” Hawke said. “I found something.”

Hawke pointed them to a few dead drakes. They had been pierced, either by a spear or an ice spell. There was remarkably little blood, although if the mages had consumed it in their spellcasting… Aveline had never heard of mages using dragon, or any animal, blood for spellcasting fuel but she had heard of people drinking the blood of dragons, thinking it would grant them powers.

The corpses were old, a day or more. Whoever had killed and drained the beasts was long gone. The trail was cold.

Aveline turned to see the seeker coming up behind them. Surprising no one, Anders had managed to disappear.

“What is this?” asked the seeker.

“Drakes,” said Hawke. “They have been drained of blood. I have never heard of mages using dragon blood before.”

“It is not common but it does happen. Some believe that drinking the blood of dragons will allow them to control the beasts.” The man’s eyes shot to Hawke’s staff. “It is of course utter nonsense. After two days of templar boots stomping through these tunnels, whoever did this will have long since fled. We should take our search elsewhere.”

“I agree,” Aveline said. “I suggest starting in-” the man had already left and Aveline fell silent.

“We should stay a while longer,” Hawke said. “We haven't seen drakes in these tunnels in years, the fact they have returned is concerning. We should find their nest.”

“Which will probably be full of gold and gems,” Varric added. “I like the way you think Hawke.”

“If we’re lucky it will be enough that Huber will stop complaining about lost productivity,” Hawke said. 

“Maybe we’ll find some clues as to where these mages go off to,” Avilene added.

“I’ll let you know if I spot any discarded journals or letters,” Varric offered.

“Come on,” Hawke laughed. “What are the odds of that happening again?” He set off down the tunnel, deeper into the network of caves. Aveline wanted to return to the Keep but instead followed her idiot friend towards danger.


End file.
